Phonograph.



M. B. PEAL, PHONOGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20, 191's.

Patented Y May 7,1918.

@FFTGE.

' MARSHALL :e. PEAL, or BROOKLYN, NEW roux.

PHONOGRAPH.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Mnnsnann B. PEAL,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, haveinvented certain new and useful Im rovements in Phonographs, of whichthe ollowing is a specification.

. This invention relates to a phonograph,

- and particularly to means for automatically so more or less specificthan those referred to or needle.

A further object is to provide a device which may be either incorporatedinto the record at the time of manufacture of the record, or which maybe attached to thereoord at a subsequent time adapted to cooperate withfeatures of the phonograph machine for causing the operation ofthemachine to cease at a pre-determined time.

Other objects and aims of the invention,

above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course ofthe following escription of the elements, combinations, arrangements ofparts and applications of principles, constituting the invention; and

the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appendedclaims.

In-the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of thisspecification, and in which I have shown a merely preferred form ofembodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a top plan view bf a phonograph machine having a record inposition thereon, provided with this invention, certain mechanism of themachine being illustrated diagrammatically.

Fi 2 is an enlarged vertical detail sectiona view taken upon the planeof line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken upon the plane of lineIIIIII of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view. taken uponthe plane of line IVIV of Fig, 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1918.

Application filed April 20, 1916. Slarial No. 92,568.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the parts included in thisinvention.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate modifications.

Fig. 9 is a perspective View illustrating a further modification; and vFig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating still a furthermodification.

Referring to the drawingsfor a detailed description of the structureillustrated therein, the reference character L indicates the box orcasing of the. phonograph machine, and G the rotatable table carriedthereby. The sound horn is indicated by the reference character H, andis pivotally mounted upon the casing to permit the styhis or needle 1 ofthereproducer 2 to travel freely along the sound producing surface ofthe record toward and away from the center post 3 of the table G in theusual manner. 7

Any suitable means may be employed for rotating the table G. In thedrawings an electric motor 4 is illustrated for this v,purpose, the samebeing driven from a suitable source applied through the wires- 5 and 6,.and being controlled by a switch 7 arranged in the wlre 6 for making orbreaking the circuit along said wire. 1

If desired, a brake may be employed. In the drawings the referencecharacter 8 indicates a form of brake for illustrative purposes. Thiscomprises an arm which is mounted upon a rotatable spindle 9 and whichis provided with a friction surface 10 disposed to be pressed intobraking contact with the peripheral portion of the table G when thespindle 9 is rotated. An arm 11 is also provided upon the spindle andthis is furnished with an armature 12 arranged to be controlled-byanelectro-magnet 13. A link 14 connects the arm 11 with the switch 7 sothat when said arm is drawn groove in the record. The outer end, a519,

may be enlarged and may, if desired, be provided with a groove 20registering with the innermost convolution 18 of the sound producinggroove. The inner end is adapted to make electrical contact with thepost 3. Any suitable means may be employed for improving the quality ofthe electrical contact with the post, but for simplicity thatillustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 will serve as an illustration. This meansincludes a downwardly bent portion 21 at the inner end of the contactmember, said portion 21 extending into the opening 16 and comprising aresilient finger adapted to produce a constant pressure against thepost. Both the contact member and the post being of metal, it followsthat an electric current may be transmitted from one to the otherthrough the finger 21.

When the stylus or needle 1 has moved inwardly into the innermostconvolution of the sound producing groove, and the outer end of thecontact member 17 rotates into engagement therewith, electricalcontactwill be made between the stylus and the contact member.

A circuit for the magnet 13 will be established as follows: from thesource 22 along wire 23 to a brush, or its equivalent, 24, intoelectrical connection with the post 3 of the table, from the post 3along the contact member 17 through the stylus 1 through the horn arm H,along wire 25, through the magnet 13, and along wire 26, back to thesource.

The outer end of the contact member 17 may be disposed precisely at theend of the innermost convolution of the sound producing groove, ifdesired, but usually it is sufficient to dispose the outer end of thecontact member at a point somewhat beyond the end of the sound producinggroove so as to be engaged by the stylus after the stylus has completedthe travel of the groove. 7

Since the contact member 17 need be only of extremely thin sheet metal,it may rest directly upon the face of the record disk. However, as asimple means for connecting the contact member with the disk, thisinvention contemplates that the contact member be pressed or sunken intothe surface of the disk, preferably at a time when the disk is not fullyhardened. The marginal edges of the contact member may be beveled so asto obtain a better grip upon the material of the disk, if desired, asillustrated at 27 in Figs. 3 and 4:- By sinking the contact member intothe surface of the disk, the groove 20 in the outer end of the contactmember may be brought to stand more closely in register with theinnermost convolution 18 of the record as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Aslight shoulder-like portion 28 is provided so as to render theelectrical engagement of the stylus with the contact member morepositive and effective.

If found necessary, the contact member may be fixed to the disk by smallrivets 29, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Also the contact member may be duplicated if desired, at oppositesurfaces of the disk. In fact, .in some cases it may be desirable toform the contact members for the opposite surfaces of the disk as asingle piece of metal bent through the opening 16, as shown in Fig. 7 Inthis case the intermediate bent part 30 will serve as a resilientportion for engaging the post 3.

When the contact members upon the two surfaces of the disk are formed asseparate members, they may, if desired, be connected by athimble-likemember 31, as shown in Fig. 6. The member '31 providesflanges 32 for engaging and retaining the contact members,and itprovides a somewhat resilient central portion 33 for engaging the post.

In Fig. 8a modification is illustrated in which a thimble portion isprovided directly upon the contact member, said thimble portion beingformed with resilient sections 34 for engaging the post.

In Fig. 9 a modification is illustrated'in which the contact memberis-provided with a' pair of resilient bendable fingers 35. Where it isdesired to attach two of these contact members to the two surfaces ofthe disk, the pair of fingers 35 of one may be extended through theopening in the disk and bent to engage portions of the other contactmember,- while the pair of fingers 35 of the other contact member may beextended through the opening in the disk and bent to engage portions ofthe first contact member. The pairs of fingers are preferably arrangedin planes at angles to each other in the two contact members in themanner illustrated in Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 also illustrates a simple expedient for providing adjustabilityin the length of the contact member. Any suitable means may be employedfor providing adjustability. The means illustrated includes providing aloop 36, thetwo legs 37 and 38 of which may be bent toward or away fromeach other to alter the length of the contact member. After the properadjustment has been attained, then the loop may be bent down flatagainst the adjacent portions of i the contact member, as illustrated bythe dotted lines.

Although it is preferable to embed or sink the contact member into'thematerial ciples of this inventionlimited to the reproduction of soundfrom aacepoa where the contact member is made of. sulficiently thinmaterial, the edge thereof will not constitute any appreciableresistance to the passage of the stylus thereover.

'Insome cases it may be desirable to employ thicker material, orotherwise provlde a decided shoulder to be engaged by the stylus.Engagement of the stylus with this shoulder will produce the necessaryelectrical contact without riding over the shoulder. In this case themovementof the contact member would be arrested by engagement with thestylus and the record disk would rotate for a short distance beneath.

The portion of the contact member which extends into the opening '16would provide a continuing electrical engagement with the .post andwould also provide a pivotal connection between the record disk and thecontact member.

It will, of course, be understood that this invention is not to belimited to the use of an electric motor for driving the table G. Themovement of the arm 11, or its equivalent, is intended to control anyother type of motor, as well as that illustrated.

It will be understood also that the prinare not necessarily the recordbut may be equally well adapted to the. recording operation.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A contact device for a phonograph disk, comprising a contact 7 riedby the disk extending radially from the central standard receivingopening of the disk, the inner end of the contact forming member beingadapted to engage the central standard of the phonograph, the outer endportion of the contact forming member, be-

7 ing'adapted to be engaged by the stylus of the phonograph, and saidcontact forming member having a bendable portion bendable to alter thelength of said contact forming member.

2. A contact device for a phonograph disk,

provided, in the upper surface of the mate-' rial thereof disposed incontinuance of the usual music groove ofthe record disk, for receivingthe stylus, said groove in the contact forming member being ofsubstantially the same depth as the music groove at the end where itregisters with the music groove,

forming member car-.

and having a shoulder-like portion formed therein for the purposedescribed, 3. A contact device for a phonograph disk,

ried bythe disk extending radially from the central standard receivingopening of the disk, the inner end of the contact forming member beingadapted to engage the central standard of the phonograph, the outer endportion of the cont-act formingmember becomprising a contact formingmember car:

ing adapted to be engaged by the stylus of i the phonograph, edgeportions of said contact forming member being beveled downwardly andoutwardly, and said contact forming member bein embedded in the"material of the record isk so that theupper surface of the contactforming member lies substantially flush with the upper surface of therecord disk and so that 'saidbeveled edgesengage beneath relativelyoverhanging portions of the material of the record disk. 4.- A contactdevice? for a phonograph disk, comprising a contact formingmembercarried by the record disk,- said" contact forming member bein made. upof two parts, one part being isp'osed at onef'sur face of the recorddlsk and theother part 1 being disposed at the opposite surface 'of'therecord disk, and 'means extending through the central standard receivingopening'o the disk serving to hold said twop-arts together and adaptedto form engagement with graph.

5. A contact 7 device for a phonograph disk, comprising a contactforming member car- 7 ried by the record disk, said contact forming thecentral standard of the phonomemberbeing made up of two independentlyformed parts, one part being disposed at one surface of the record diskand the. other part being disposed at the opposite surface of the recorddisk, each of sa1d parts having portions extending through the centralstandard receiving opening of the disk and engag ng the other part tomutually retain said two parts against displacement, and

said portions also being adapted to form engagement with the centralstandard of the phonograph.

6. A contact device for a phonograph dlsk, comprising a contactlformmgmember carried by the record disk, said contact forming member beingmade up'of two independently formed parts, one part being disposed atone surface of the record diskand the other part being disposed at, theop ,posite surface of the record disk, each of said parts extendingradially of the record disk from the central standard receiving openingof the disk, means extending through said opening serving to hold theinner ends of said two parts together and adapted to form engagementwith the central standard of the phonograph, and means extending throughthe disk spaced from said opening for holding the outer ends of said twoparts in position upon the record disk.

7. A contact device for a phonograph disk comprising a contact formingmember carried by the disk at one surface thereof, said contact formingmember having a portion extending through the central standard receivingopening of the disk adapted to form engagement with the central standardof the phonograph, said portion bein extended beyond the oppositesurface the record disk and the extended portions being bent over toretain the contact forming member against displacement.

8. A contact device for a phonograph disk, comprising a contactformingvmember carried by the record disk, said contact forming memberbeing made up of two independently formed parts, one part being disposedat one surface of the record disk and the other part being disposed atthe opposite surface of the record disk, each of said opposite partshaving integral fingers formed thereon extending through thecentralstandard receiving opening of the disk into gripping engagementwith the other part, and said fingers being resilient and adaptedthereby to form frictional engagement with the central standard of thephonograph.

9. A contact device for a phonograph disk, comprising a contact formingmember carried by the record disk, said contact forming member beingmade up of two independently formed parts, one part being disposed atone surface of the record disk and the other part being disposed atmerge placement, and said fingers being adapted to engage the centralstandard of the phonograph,

10. A contact device for a phonograph disk, comprisin a contact formingmember carried by the disk extending radially from the central standardreceiving opening of the disk, the inner end of the contact formingmember being adapted to engage the central standard of the phonograph,the.

outer end portion of the contact forming member being adapted to beengaged by the stylus of the phonograph, and sa1d contact forming memberhavin its intermediate portion shaped to provlde a pair of legs bendabletoward and away from each other for altering the length of the contactforming member.

' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

' MARSHALL B. PEAL. I Witnesses:

L. Gnssrom) HANDY,

'Lonrs BRANDMIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ave cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of I'atents, Washington, fi. Q.

